All about our Council and Committees

All about our Council and Committees

The Town Council’s decision-making process is undertaken by the Full Council (all 20 Councillors) and a number of committees, all of which meet regularly. Council and committee meetings are open to the public* and start at 7pm.

The main meetings are:

Full Council 

Chair: Cllr Helen Belcher OBE

Full Council meets on the second Monday of every month. This comprises of all 20 Councillors. These meetings are held face-to-face in the Town Hall.

Council (Planning) 

Chair: Cllr Helen Belcher OBE

Planning meets every three weeks, on a Wednesday. This comprises of all 20 Councillors. The Town Council is not the planning authority but comments on planning applications and is consulted on a range of issues including licensing, street naming and future development. These meetings are currently held online.

Finance and Administration 

Chair: Cllr Ruth Hopkinson

The Finance and Administration Committee meets every other month, on a Wednesday. Nine Councillors make up the Committee, and they oversee the Council’s finances and budget, and administrative and staffing matters, including recruitment. Decisions on grant applications are also considered at F&A meetings. These meetings are currently held online.

The Accounts Sub Committee, made up of four Councillors, meets before each Council meeting to consider that month’s accounts.

Property and Amenities 

Chair: Cllr Tina Ellis

The Property and Amenities Committee meets every other month, on a Wednesday. Nine Councillors make up the Committee, and they are responsible for decision-making regarding the Council’s projects concerning, among other things, buildings, play areas, open spaces, the Ladbrook Lane and Lacock Road cemeteries, CCTV and grounds maintenance. These meetings are currently held online.

Community Services 

Chair: Cllr Neville Farmer

The Community Services Committee meets every other month, on a Wednesday. Nine Councillors make up the Committee, and they are responsible for the Town Council’s work linked to the community, including events and other activities, tourism, marketing and promotion of the town, Corsham in Bloom, the Arts and health and wellbeing. These meetings are currently held online.

Methuen (Town) Hall Trust 

Chair: Cllr Helen Belcher OBE

All Corsham Town Councillors are automatically trustees of the Methuen (Town) Hall Trust (Charity Reg No. 222278), which meets after each month’s Full Council meeting. Councillors are responsible for the overall management of the charity in accordance with its charitable aims, which are to provide ‘a hall to serve as a parish meeting place used by local groups and organisations for their activities’. If you would like to hire the Town Hall, all the information can be found on our  Town Hall Hire  page.

Public Attendance at Meetings

If you would like to attend a committee meeting, please download and read the guidance notes on Public Participation at Council Meetings and, if necessary, the guidelines for Recording, Filming, Photographing and Broadcasting Town Council Meetings .

Council, Planning and Committee meetings are usually hybrid, so in person but also via MS Teams. The meeting link is available by contacting the Chief Executive, dmartin@corsham.gov.uk or clicking on the link in the relevant agenda, published on our website a few days prior to the meeting.

The Town Council also has a number of working groups set up for distinct areas of work and projects, including the Strategic Plan, Neighbourhood Plan, Health and Wellbeing and the Environment. The work of these groups is then reported back to the relevant Town Council Committees. Details of our Working and Project Groups can be found on the Project Groups page.